Extraction
by RaptorX5
Summary: Part two to Ashes to Ashes
1. The Ties That Bind

Jondy stuck to Max like glue over the next few days. She did the morning perimeter run wit Max at times helping her along. Jondy made sure that Max ate at meal times sometimes bodily forcing her and at other times ordering her to eat. Max responded well to orders lately but not as well to kindness as she usually did. She was stone cold and often silent. Jondy even paired up with Max when the spared, trying to go easy on her. Max didn't want anyone to go easy one her at least not in combat where she could take out all her aggressions. In all her unbridled anger she had began to neglect Jondy. When they sparred she attacked Jondy with everything she had. Max actually took her sister down. Max stood stone cold over her accomplishment, she had knocked Jondy unconscious. From that day on Max was only allowed to spar with Zack by his order. She fought so hard that she even took Zack down once. 

Gone were the nights Jondy and Max had spent together on the roof of the barracks or out on the scrimmage fields. Gone were the nights of long never ending conversations. Max had changed. She simply wasn't the same after she had come back from the shock treatments. She was harder, more like Brin and Tinga then herself. Max gave orders in a clipped tone. Max followed orders better then ever before and frowned on Jondy's show of emotions towards her. They had reconditioned her. Max was the way she was before they had given each other their names. The perfect little toy soldier. 

Then one night Jondy was pleasantly surprised. After lights out Jondy lay down and spent her time staring at the ceiling. Going to the places she usually went with Max wasn't any fun when she went alone. She laid stone still listening halfheartedly to one of Ben's stories when all her prayers to the Blue Lady came true either that or she was dreaming. Nighttime had lost all of it's magic without Max. Jondy was almost sure she must have fallen asleep but this was no dream as Max's face loomed into her field of view. 

"Let's go." Max snapped her fingers in front of Jondy's face her words coming off like an order. 

Jondy who was already awake obediently hopped out of bed. Max lead Jondy up the drain pipe to the roof. They huddled across from where the Blue Lady's alter was. Max moved close to Jondy but stayed silent for a very long time.

"Everything is different." Max said softly her words having the effect of an explosion in the still of the night.

Jondy got chills. Max couldn't have been more right about more things in a few simple words. Jondy turned to Max and put a hand on her shoulder. "Max, I know-"

Max tore away from the physical contact and bristled at the sound of her own name. "My designation is X5-452." 

Max began passing the length of the roof. After a few minuets of fighting a personal battle inside of her head she began to speak. "I know I'm not the same." Her words were clipped, short and devoid of all emotion. "I know things are different. It's just that -- it's so hard. I can't-" Max turned away from Jondy again. "No, no this is wrong. This is a breech of protocol. This is insubordination." Max grabbed Jondy roughly one hand binding her wrists the other on her waist. She guided Jondy over to the corner of the roof where the drainpipe was. "We have orders to sleep. We have to return to the barracks now. We have to sleep. We need to go back now." Max had a look of pure paranoia playing across her face.

Jondy broke free of Max's grip and pointed to the sky. "Max look."

Jondy pointed to a bright twinkling star which Max followed her gesture to gazing at it. It twinkled briefly then shot off across the sky and disappeared. 

Max's grip on Jondy's arm wavered. The hands that had gripped her so tightly a moment ago shook. Max moved to simply holding Jondy's hand and holding her close. Tears began to stream down her face. She couldn't handle what it was. She was disgraced by herself and her actions. She turned to Jondy and laughed. "This is ridiculous." Silent tears making small paths in the dirt on her face leaving it clean and wet in places. "This is false sentimentality. This is wrong; this is against the rules." 

Jondy turned to he little sister. "No, Max this isn't anything like that. This is us." She squeezed Max's hand hard.

Max pulled away from Jondy again. "No this is in violation of sanction 43-6. We shouldn't be here."

Max fell to her knees and hugged them close to herself sitting on the edge of the roof. Jondy wrapped herself around her little sister trying to hold her together as she cried huge sobs racking her entire body.

"It's okay Maxie." Jondy stroked her head and cradled Max in her lap.

"I want to come back." Max said thought her sobs.

Jondy wanted that too, more then anything. So Jondy just held Max and talked. Not about the stars like they did on some nights. Not about what they could over hear the guards below saying. Not about how well their training was going or about the well being of their siblings. Not about any of Ben or Tinga's stories. There was no speculation about Lydecker or any of the adults. No wondering about what they did in their time away from Manticore. Jondy didn't even bring up how Max Krit and herself were so close because they had been the last three in the nursery. Jondy just told Max everything would be okay and that she'd come back to herself soon enough. In reality Jondy was scared they had never been able to break Max like this before. She reminded Max of how she used to be, of how things used to be before Ash was terminated. She talked and talked and talked and when she couldn't think of anything else to say she sang to Max and then eventually went back to talking. Mostly pure nonsense, but she could have been talking about how the sky was purple and the grass was blue. It didn't seem to matter Max just seemed calmed by the sound of Jondy's voice and her closeness. Jondy was back to singing, a wordless tune that she had overheard one of the nurses humming and Max stilled so Jondy kept going. 

Jondy heard a rustle bellow that meant one of her siblings was awake. She had always had the best ear from the length of the strides and the sound of the footfalls she recognized who it was. It had to be Syl. What she was doing or where she was going Jondy didn't know. Syl passed the length of the barracks and finally sat down, but not on her own bunk. Jondy could hear it all perfectly as she continued to sing the sound of Syl's footsteps had not stopped where they had originated. Syl had woken up Zane. That was where they went with all their worries. If Zack ever left them Zane would have made a great CO. Syl talked to Zane about her concerns for Max. Zane told her he was aware of the problem Jondy, Krit and Ben had already come to talk to him about it and if things diddn't change soon he would take their concerns to Zack himself. Syl then asked the obvious question of where Max had gone. The answer was simple she was up on the roof with Jondy Zane had seen them sneak away. Syl sighed maybe things were returning to normal. Syl stayed in Zane's cot for some time then asked Zane if he heard what she did. Yes he did and he went on to say that Jondy had a very nice voice. Syl agreed and they both settled down again talking too softly even for Jondy to hear. 

Jondy turned her attention back to Max embarrassed by her siblings complements. It was then that she noticed Max was sound asleep. Jondy tried to wake Max but to no avail. Max's skin was warmer then normal and Jondy started to panic. She left Max curled up on the roof and climbed down to get help. The sun would be up soon and morning inspection would be even sooner. She went to Zane first because she knew he was still awake. Zane woke Zack who in turn woke up Ben and Krit. Zack and Zane climbed up to the roof and Ben and Krit were under orders to hold their position at the window. Zack shook Max, ordered her to wake up and struck her but nothing roused her. Zane held Zack's feet bracing him on the roof and lowered him almost all the way to the window. Zack held the sleeping Max and lowered her down to the waiting arms of Ben and Krit who took her to her cot. Zack and Zane climbed back down into the barracks and gathered with Jondy, Syl, Krit and Ben around Max's cot. No one was sure what to do. If they couldn't wake Max for the morning inspection she'd be taken back to the infirmary. No matter what they tried under no circumstances could they wake Max. 

The general came in for the morning inspection to find the others standing next to made cots and waiting with baited breath. The General stopped in front of Max's cot. 

"Rise and shine X5-452. On your feet now soldier."

Max didn't even stir. The general humphed and spun around storming out of the room. He turned to Zack. "X5-599 this is your problem and the commander will deal with you accordingly."

The General returned with Commander Lydecker who stormed into the room past the lines of saluting soldiers and stopped in front of Max's cot. He tried all of the same tactics that Zack had tried to wake Max and then turned to him. "X5-599 take the squadron down to the work out room. You're all dismissed to spar."

The others filled out of the room in an orderly line at the sound of Zack's orders an echo of the one he had just been issued from Lydecker. 

Lydecker sat on the edge of Max's cot then dismissed the General. 

"Max what have I done?" He asked softly to no one then scooped her up into his arms and took her to the infirmary himself. 

*

There was nothing wrong with Max except for a high fever and some mild dehydration that some intravenous fluids took care of rather neatly and she was back with the squad by lunchtime. She looked downtrodden, sad and tired but had a bit of her old bounce to her step. She was silent most of the day unless directly spoken to. She didn't look directly at anyone unless a direct order was given. She seemed lost within herself. Zack watched her during lunch and pulled her aside when he dismissed the others for their afternoon workout. 

"Max." Zack grabbed her arm as she filled past him with the others.

Max stopped at his touch but didn't acknowledge him.

Zack squared his shoulders. "X5-452 did you hear me?"

"Yes sir." Max answered with a curt nod of her head.

"Why didn't you answer me?" Zack asked.

"That was not my designation, Sir." Max winked and nodded her head towards the guards in the room.

Zack blanched for a moment. Max had been the first to realize that they deserved names. She had been the first to boldly deny her designation in front of the adults. Now she was denying the name she had chosen for herself. "Max?" Zack whispered her name.

"We are not in the barracks, soldier." Max reminded him.

Zack relaxed a little Max had fallen back on the rules of the time when they had just named each other and only used their names in the barracks. For now that was just fine. Zack was just glad she still recognized her own name. "My mistake soldier. X5-452 are you all right?"

"Fine sir." Max nodded.

"And would you tell Za-X5-236 the same thing?" Zack new they all went to Zane with their true feelings and concerns. 

"I believe so, sir." Max nodded again.

Zack shook his head. "You're sparring with me now." He turned on his heals and lead her into the recreation room.

Max and Zack squared off just as Commander Lydecker entered the room. Zack attempted to go easy on Max and she took him down twice. In order to save face in front of the Commander Zack stopped going easy on her and took her down quickly. Max hit the mat and stayed there. Zack bent down and offered her a hand up and Max flipped and pinned him beneath herself. Commander Lydecker smiled proudly watching his two prizefighters. They squared off again and Zack took Max down to the mat again. She got up on her own this time but Zack could tell something had changed. For the moment her heart simply wasn't in the exercise. 

Back in the barracks that night after their sociology class which was in preparation for under cover operations once they were deployed out in the field later in their careers, Max headed straight for her cot and in minuets was asleep snoring lightly. Jondy got up from her cot and stood next to Zack's head. Zack opened one eye lazily. "Yes Jondy?"

Jondy used a quick set of hand signals and requested that Zack join her up on the roof. Zack followed Jondy silently up to the roof and found her standing there at the edge hugging herself close. He stood silently behind her allowing her the freedom to speak first. 

"You promised Zack." Jondy's simple words hung in the air like a threat. Her voice sounding small and hurt. "And you were wrong."

"I didn't lie Jondy. Max will be okay eventually."

"You keep telling me that! Zack how long are you going to wait to do something to get her back?" Jondy began to pace the length of the roof. "Sure she's with us and she's safe but she isn't Maxie. Don't you see it?" Her voice was pleading and her eyes began to overflow. "I just want my little sister back."

"We all want her back," Zack touched Jondy's shoulder. "I'll figure out something Jondy I promise."

"You did that already Zack." Jondy turned to him. "You'd better make it stick this time."

"What?"

"It's something I heard one of the guards say, it's like making sure and order gets carried out."

"I will." Zack nodded curtly.

"If anything do it for the team Zack. Brin and Tinga are happy they think Max has finally come to her senses. Ben, Zane, Syl and myself are all worried. Have you seen Krit lately? He's really torn apart by it. He sleeps curled up in a tight ball sucking on his thumb. He has nightmares and his eyes look haunted, he's never more then two steps away from Max if he can help it, I think he thinks it's his fault she's hurting." Jondy didn't think she needed to tell Zack it was effecting her exactly the same way. "We are all lost without her and it's tearing the team apart. She's an integral part of our team Zack." Jondy turned and caught Zack off guard by hugging him. "Please try Zack."

"She's an integral part of our family Jondy." Zack held Jondy close for a moment. They were alone up on the roof so it was all right to let down his guard and console his little sister. "I promise Jondy. I'll figure it out."

Jondy nodded and tensed up under the protection of Zack's arms. She had promised herself she wouldn't cry hysterically in front of Zack. He eyes spilling over before had been a moment of weakness. If she couldn't keep this promise to herself how could she expect him to keep the one he'd just made to her? Jondy tore away from Zack's hold on her. 

"We should go in now." Jondy faked a yawn. "I'm tired."

Zack wasn't about to argue but Jondy was never tired, something was up. They turned and returned to the barracks Zack wasn't about to push her anymore tonight. Zack went to sleep. Jondy passed the night watching shadows play across the dull grey ceiling and worrying about Max. Halfway through the night she moved to Krit's cot to quite him in the midst of yet another nightmare but mostly she watched the shadows dance all night.

*

Zane noticed it during their morning exercise after breakfast after their first set of sparring and before the perimeter run. Max seemed to be operating on autopilot and Zack seemed unusually tense. Zack yelled and snapped his orders off at the others ready to bite anyone's head off at a moment's notice. Whatever had taken place between Jondy and Zack the night before had obviously taken its toll on Zack. He simply wasn't himself. It manifested itself during lunchtime. Jondy hadn't spoken a word all day. Krit seemed unusually subdued. Max did everything by the book but everything she did seemed to anger Zack in some way.

"X5-452 what are you doing?" Zack snapped at Max.

"Nothing sir."

"You're shaking." Zack said bluntly.

"I am not." Max tensed her body to quench the shaking she had not even noticed. 

"Max what's wrong?"

"Nothing." Max jumped up knocking over her tray of food. 

One of the nearby guards started to move in towards her but Zack held up a hand to stop him. "Sit down soldier." He said to Max.

"No. I can't sir." Max shook her head stepping up right in front of Zack and struck him. No one moved as the sound echoed through the room. Zack couldn't move. Max had just slapped him with no cause to do so. Max dropped into a sparing stance. 

"I want to fight." Max snapped bouncing form foot to foot.

Zack didn't move. Couldn't move for a moment, his mind was a complete blank. 

"You just struck a superior officer." Zack shook his head. "Go stand at attention in that corner and do not move a muscle."

Brin scoffed Zack was going easy on Max. Too easy. She had just broken a rule, but Max was sick so it was different from what Brin had done. It was just like she'd always thought and this only served to prove it, Max was Zack's pet soldier. Zack turned his gaze back to Brin at the sound she'd uttered. Brin returned her gaze to her food; it wasn't worth agitating an already angry Zack.

Max stood at attention in the corner stiff and unmoving except for her shoulders, which shook slightly more of a twitch then anything. The room remained silent no one knew exactly what to do.

"At ease." Zack said giving the others a much-needed cue.

Krit turned to Jondy wide eyed but didn't know what to say. Jondy simply reached out for his hand under the table. Max drew everyone's attention in the subdued atmosphere. She began to laugh a hysterical cackle her shoulders shaking harder then ever. Zack was up and out of his seat in a heartbeat. He spun Max around to face him. If names weren't allowed to be used outside of the barracks then laughter was strictly forbidden. They were all aware of it; it was an unspoken rule and there Max was laughing openly in front of the guards.

"Report X5-452." Zack snapped.

Max simply continued to laugh though Zack's face was merely inches from her own.

"Stop it." Zack blurted out.

"I ... I can't." Max got the words out between bursts of laughter.

"Compose yourself soldier." Zack ordered her.

Max continued to laugh. She was frustrated at not being able to stop and follow the order that was given to her. Silent tears began to fall down her face. Unable to control her shaking body Max collapsed to the ground.

"On your feet soldier." Zack tried to pull her up to her feet. 

Max struck out at Zack out of reflex and he angrily let her fall back to the ground. Maybe Max had finally snapped.

Two of the guards moved towards Max radios in hand ready to order her down for a psychiatric evaluation.

"Leave her be." Zack growled moving in front of Max. "She'll be okay."

The guards backed off for the moment. They were told never to undermine an order given by the young CO in front of the other children. 

"Jondy. Ben." Zack called out to the two closest soldiers. "Take care of Max." He looked pointedly at Zane. "You're in charge now Zane." Zack took leave of them storming out of the room hardly even noticing that he had slipped using all their names.

All hell broke loose the moment Zack left the room. Krit broke down into tears. Brin and Tinga started to order Jondy and Ben about what to do with Max. Zane stood up.

"I want you all to report back to the barracks except for you." Zane pointed out Max, Jondy, Ben and Krit. Everyone filled out of the room and Zane turned to counseling and consoling his remaining siblings. 

*

Zack paced the hallway outside the mess room until he heard Zane issue his order inside of the room. Zack knew he had to move before his team started to file out of the room. He stormed off in the direction of the stairwell glad for the moment to have free range of the compound. He could not let them see him so emotionally consumed. Zack stormed into Commander Lydecker's office. The old man was eating his lunch, taking a few shots and staring at a picture of his late wife. Commander Lydecker jumped as the door swung open and the soldier strode in, his door had been securely locked moments ago. Zack had never been taught to pick locks by anyone at Manticore and the fact that he could was both impressive and disturbing at the same time. Max was up and about from the infirmary but she was not herself he could see it in her eyes. She pent alot of time by herself quiet, pensive and thinking. She hadn't talked to Jondy much in the past few days. Max spent her nights crying and sleeping. Max never slept but since she had returned from the shock sessions she had slept nightly. Zack was outraged that they had seemingly crushed Max's spirit and he simply couldn't stand to see her like that any longer. Lydecker had seen it all on the security equipment and it didn't sit well with him either. 

"Commander Lydecker, sir." Zack crossed the room to the man's desk in three strides. "Permission to initiate an exercise sir."

The liquor he'd consumed as well as the soldier's presence in his office threw off Lydecker. First off it was wrong because Zack was supposed to be under guard in the mess hall and was not supposed to have free range of the compound and he had not called for the boy. Secondly it was too early for their daily briefings. Someone should and would be reprimanded for it, be it the security detail in the mess hall or the soldier himself. Lydecker reasoned he'd hear the soldier out before he decided how to reprimand him. 

"What's your suggestion Zack?" Lydecker made a face catching himself in his own buzzed slip of the tongue. It had been Max's eyes and screams during the conditioning, shock sessions, and sickness that haunted him, hurt him and guiltily had driven him to the bottle. He preferred to bear the grief of knowing he'd hurt he rather then trying to fix it and succeeding in hurting her more. He knew he had to amend his statement because the soldier was just staring at him. "All right X5-599 what do you suggest soldier?"

"Sir, Extraction, sir." Zack barked his answer still standing at attention.

"X5-559 you've executed that exercise;" Lydecker paused to think, "At least a dozen times flawlessly. You don't need to run it again, soldier. Permission denied."

"Sir, no sir." Zack objected. "I don't want to run the exercise on my own. I want to extract the whole squad during an escape and evade drill using infantry soldiers as the enemy, sir."

Lydecker bolted from his chair and struck the soldier for his insubordination. The he sunk back into his chair and took another swig of the bottle. It really was a good idea but he had to stick with his convictions and be strong in front of the soldier. "You object to my decision soldier?"

"Sir, yes sir. I think it is a good idea to boost team spirit, sir." Zack didn't flinch from the strike or his convictions. 

"Then why don't you have a pep-rally?" Lydecker sneered.

"Sir?" Zack blinked.

"Nothing."

"I think it's a good idea." Zack tried again. 

Lydecker struck Zack again. "Permission denied. Their too young, too undisciplined, unprepared."

"Sir, I'll brief them. I know their ready. Their good soldiers, sir."

Lydecker could see the young soldier was not going to back down on this matter. He respected Zack's resolve and determination but his insubordination had to be dealt with. Lydecker had to prove he was still in charge. This time he punched Zack full in the face. He knew it wasn't really a strict punishment because Lydecker had half the strength of the weakest X5 if he was lucky. This was all about respect. "You'd go against my orders, soldier?"

"Sir, no sir. I simply want to persuade you to change them. I know we can succeed, sir." Zack stood at attention, expressionless, holding the older man's stare. 

Lydecker allowed himself to heave a sigh; the liquor was taking its toll, exposing his emotions, something embarrassing and unacceptable to have in front of this soldier. At this point he would have done anything to rid himself of the insolent soldiers presence. 

"Fine, fine soldier I will let you have your little game." Lydecker snapped. "Under one condition X-4 squadron two is to be the enemy. This will be a lesson for you too soldier in the recognition of your own family." 

Zack nodded curtly. "Sir the conditions are more then acceptable, sir."

"Fine," Lydecker waved a hand sloppily at him. "Fine, dismissed soldier. You may have your little excursion but if anything goes wrong it is on your shoulders."

Zack saluted. "Thank you sir." Then he stood watching Commander Lydecker with his head cocked slightly to the side. "Are you all right sir?"

Lydecker blinked and looked up at the boy. Then he turned the picture he was gazing at towards Zack taking another swig from his drink. "X5-9595." Lydecker coughed. "Zachary can't you see it, son?"

Zack had no idea what he was looking for in the picture of the woman or for that matter why Lydecker couldn't seem to keep his designation straight.

"The eyes Zack those deep wonderful haunting eyes there all the same everywhere you look. Look."

Zack stared at the picture of the woman's face zeroing in on the eyes. Eyes flashed in his head. Max, Jondy, Krit. Beautiful wide sparkling doe eyes, okay so they were the same eyes but not Krit, not beautiful anyway. "X5-542 and X5-273."

"Yes, yes. Max and Jondy and Krit. Though Jondy's just and coincidence and Krit was a last minuet unforeseen chance." Lydecker nodded.

Zack was officially confused. Lydecker knew their names. Lydecker was being sloppy and emotional and it all frightened Zack set him at an immense unease. 

"I loved her before I lost her." Lydecker was talking to himself more then Zack now. He was an overflow of emotions that made Zack uncomfortable to be in the room with. Zack had what he wanted but had yet to be dismissed so he stood his ground and waited. 

"Don't loose them X9-955. Don't let them be taken away from you. Not by me, not by the committee, not by each other. That's what you're trying to do now aren't you? Keep them together; bring that sparkle back into her eyes. I wish you good luck because I know I can't do it." Lydecker drifted off into his own thoughts his eyes fogging over lost in memories. Drowning his sorrows in his drink. "Tell her I loved her ..." he mumbled it softly to himself his eyes tearing up still looking at the picture. Then he got angry noticing for the first time that Zack was still there. "This never happened, soldier. You didn't see this. Go back to school then prepare and brief your squad before dinner. I said you were dismissed soldier."

Zack saluted Commander Lydecker, turned on his heals and flew out of the room. "Sir, thank you, sir."

****

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AN: I know it's been a while since I've posted anything so look for chapter 2 of this and chapter 4 of Love is a Battlefield to be up soon. 

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	2. A Return to Normality

****

Zack met up with the rest of his squad in the middle of their history lesson. They had to learn about the world outside the fence if they were going to infiltrate it and survive under cover once they were sent on missions. After the three hour class there was the standard hour of conditioning slides and then they were sent off to the pool. Zane seemed to have gotten everything and everyone under control. Jondy had re-situated herself so that she was closer to Krit. Max was like a statue stone cold yet absorbent of everything around her. Zack knew he would have to speak to with Zane later to know exactly what had happened when he was away. 

They were briefed on the exercise it was a new exercise in self control as well as their

abilities to hold their breaths for extended periods of time. They were then lead into a smaller pool then the usual, it was more of a tank really. It was a bone dry tank that they were lead into with extremely high walls and ceiling. They were ordered over an intercom to shackle in their own ankles and stand at attention. They followed the order and waited the top of the tank looming almost ten feet above Eva's head. Eva was the tallest of the X-5's. The general appeared standing at attention at the rim of the tank. There was a mirrored wall in front of the soldiers where they had no doubt that they were being observed by Lydecker and some others. The comity usually watched when they were given a new task. 

Water began to rush into the tank at that moment. It was ice cold as it rose to cover their bare feet steadily rising. No one gasped. No one shrieked in surprise. Goose bumps rose on their flesh but no one complained. Not one of them shivered or even flinched. The level of the water rose painfully slow. Frigid water only meeting waist level on Syl who was the shortest. Water that was only about twenty degrees. Here the flow of water halted for what seemed like an eternity. The water was so cold Zack knew it was his job to do something about it. 

"Soldiers forward march." Zack snapped through clenched teeth.

Moving helped keep them warm and wasn't against any of the orders they had gotten in the briefing before the drill. It showed to whoever was watching that they still had some sort of control even in unfamiliar situations. They knew how to master it and turn it back to their advantage. The water warmed a bit as it began to rise again now up to their necks. They knew what was coming now. Syl's head was now under water, Krit's too but they treaded water to keep up with everyone else. The slack in the chains allowed them enough play so that they only had to hold their breath once the last head (always Eva's) disappeared below the water. Then and only then they all came to a rest on the bottom of the tank. They stopped marching then and wrapped their arms around themselves to consume warmth and the oxygen in their blood. Zack began to count the time in his head his eyes open watching the others. Krit had closed his eyes to relax but that wasn't allowed. The speakers crackled, "Eyes forward." Everyone followed the order and

stared straight ahead at themselves in the mirror. 

Three minuets went by without any further incident. Then there was a ripple in the

calmness that had settled over the water in the tank. Zack took two steps forward in order to see down the length of soldiers. Max had began to panic. Jondy moved over a step and took her hand. Max raised her head to meet Jondy's eyes with her own troubled ones. Krit moved over and took up Max's other hand. Max closed her eyes for a brief second and then dropped the others hands, giving them a small squeeze first. She was going to be okay. The crisis and the panic had been averted for now. The speaker remained silent, none of the observers seemed to have a problem with it. They were always told you that the group was only as strong as your weakest man. Another minuet went by and Ben began to shake from the cold. Violently. Max sensed it first. She caught his eye in the mirror and held it. She made the hand signal for him to be still. Ben clenched his teeth and relaxed all his muscles and became still. Ben stilled and more time passed. 

A buzzer sounded and the chains were released from the bottom and the soldiers were allowed to breach the surface. When Zack reached the surface of the pool he took a deep breath and a head count. They were missing one soldier. Zack panicked and looked down there was Jondy still chained to the pool floor equally panicked and desperately fighting her bonds. Zack dove back down to where she was and `kissed' her giving her some much-needed air and then he went to the bottom of the pool to tug on the chain that held here there. The chain gave way six and a half minuets after the exercise had started. Zack head butted Jondy in the back who took the cue and fled to the surface gasping for air. Jondy had been okay and had been lucky that Zack had been there to give her some air even though Zack didn't believe in luck. Jondy had came out of the exercise extremely frightened but otherwise unsacred except for her developed persistent fear of the pool or almost any water. 

Lydecker stood at the end of the pool watching the two a look of pride on his face at how Zack had handled the situation. "Is she all right?"

Zack was shaken up and Jondy looked near hysterics but Zack nodded and Jondy mumbled a feeble. "Yes, sir."

The sound of wet feet echoed on concrete until they all stood at attention in front of him. Jondy still was gulping in air as if she was starved and couldn't get enough. 

"Soldiers you attained five minuets total down time X5-273 and X5-599 were down for almost fifteen extra minuets downtime. Good job." He looked pointedly at Jondy. "Now report to the showers. The you are to report to the barracks until dinner. Dismissed."

The group of soldiers saluted the commander and fled to the sanctuary of the showers where much to their delight the hot water was working. Jondy refused to take a shower, Max was the first done with the shower just under regulated time and Ben lingered the longest. They changed back into their gowns and returned to the barracks. This was a break from their normal routine and it made everyone anxious. They all turned expectant eyes to Zack the moment the barracks door was shut and locked behind them. 

"Zack what's going on?" Zane was the first one to speak up.

"We're trying a new exercise tomorrow and I have to brief you all on it." Zack said simply and then he went and sat on the head of his cot, moving it so that it was touching the one next to his and motioned for everyone to join him. Zane moved a third cot next to Zack's on the opposite side and all of the others gathered around Zack. 

Max lay on her stomach, her feet in the air, her head resting on Jondy's knee. Jondy sat Indian style with and arm draped around Max, leaning up against Krit who sat Indian style as well so that their knees were touching. Ben seemed interested in what Zack had to say his eyes sparkled yet he leaned against Tinga who seemed to need his contact as well. Syl sat next to Raven and slumped against Zane who sat very close to Zack. Even Brin seemed at ease as she leaned against Braden who was leaning against her for support with his head on her shoulder. Devon, Tully and Sydney lay next to each other on their stomachs so that their hands were touching. Locke kneeled on the bed an arm around Rayne and his other resting on Sylan's leg who was lying on her side. 

The exercise had taken alot out of them all. In all honesty they huddled in small groups still trying to keep warm. Everyone had paired off or was in some sort of group except Zack. He cleared his throat and shook his head he was fine with issuing orders but Ben and Tinga were the best storytellers and right now Zack had to do both. 

"Okay." Zack took a deep breath. "I've personally run this exercise over a dozen times flawlessly. You will all be engaged in an escape and evade exercise with X-4 squadron two as the enemy. I will be up above the yard in a helicopter. The name of the exercise is Extraction. It consists of a normal escape and evade with one important difference, a rope ladder starting at 5000ft in the air and I am supposed to get you out of the field area as quickly as possible. Just look for me and the copter and I'll do the rest. We have an official briefing at 0700 hours. Don't fail me, do you understand?"

Twenty-eight heads nodded in unison and in agreement but none of them really had any idea of exactly what they were getting themselves into. They all trusted Zack and if he thought they could do this then they knew they could. The confusion, the fear, and the loss they felt were inconsequential, right now they were just too tired and hungry to care or worry. Anything even a difficult new exercise was a welcomed distraction from facing their own mortality which the loss of Jack and Ash as well as Max's condition and the accident with Jondy made them do. 


	3. Groundwork and Abduction

****

Groundwork and Abduction

Max bolted awake in bed, there was a change in the air that she didn't understand. She didn't remember any of them returning the barracks to it's normal configuration or anyone going to bed. She didn't remember Jondy or herself being really tired enough to sleep either. She looked around the barracks, her eyesight was blurry but everyone was in their cots sound asleep. Locke, X5-861, was tossing and turning in his sleep but nothing else seemed wrong so Max allowed herself to drift back off to sleep content for the moment. 

Later that night Max darted awake in her bed sitting up straight. She couldn't move for a moment and panicked. She let her mind wander while her brain re-gained control of her body. She couldn't sleep but she knew it wasn't from nerves about the exercise they would be engaged in later in the day, she knew it was something else. She trusted Zack and new the exercise would go off without a hitch. In honesty she hadn't been able to sleep since Avi had been terminated. She'd been extremely worried about Jondy since the accident that she had in the submersion tanks. In reality she had always had problems sleeping but it had really gotten bad when she had wandered into the infirmary and saw what the nomalies had done to Jack. It was close to two hours away from inspection time, she could tell from the way the shadows played across the

barracks ceiling, yet no one stirred. 

This time it was something important which had woken her up. Max looked around the barracks and was actually brought down by what she saw. She knew it was done for a reason but it didn't make her feel better knowing why they did it. It was a constant reminder of their failure but had it been done any other way she would have felt cheated and that their memories had been wronged. Jack's cot lay stripped down to the springs and empty. Ash's cot lay made and empty. Max continued to scan the room. Jondy's cot was empty and so was Rayne's. That was normal because Max usually met them and a few others up on the roof, that fact actually helped to put her at ease. Krit and Locke's cots were also empty, they must have joined Rayne and Jondy up on the roof. Zack and the others were out cold. Max was about to go join them up on the roof when

a smell that was not normal caught her attention and drew her sluggish body into the corner by the barracks door. 

Krit was curled up in a tight ball hugging his knees and cradled between his cot and the wall. He was rocking back and forth his eyes were wide, his face pale and tear stained and his head slowly knocking against the wall. Max crouched next to Krit and he jumped. 

"Max you're okay?" He reached out to touch her as if to see if she was really there. 

Max nodded softly. "What's wrong little brother?"

Krit broke down and pulled his hand away from Max. His hand was shaking. "I thought they took you too." Krit twitched. "I'm scared Max, they're going to take me away too."

"Krit what are you talking about?" Max asked softly. 

"They drugged us . . . and they too him in the night . . . back all black . . . and there are five empty cots now . . . all gone . . . they took them." Krit ranted his thumb making it's way into his mouth for comfort. 

"Krit calm down." Max wrapped an arm around her only younger sibling. 

"No!" Krit screamed at the top of his lungs and no one still let in the barracks even stirred. 

Max winched and stared at him. "What?" 

"Concentrate." Krit said almost frantically. "Smell the air . . . it's strongest near Zack."

Max strolled over the where Zack slept and snapped her fingers. He didn't stir or even flinch. So Max concentrated and leaned in close to Zack inhaling hard. There was something wrong with his sent, something too chemical. It confused Max until she though and remembered just how tired they all had been last night when they had been briefed on the mission. She though about how she had struggled to waken earlier in the night. She thought hard about their unorthodox late night allowance of free time and even more unorthodox and lavish dinner. 

"They drugged us?"

Krit nodded because he couldn't trust himself to speak. Max returned to his side. 

She spoke softly to soothe him. "Krit the drugs just have you confused, no one's gone that wasn't gone before we went to sleep." Max and Jondy were the only ones who knew Krit was still afraid of the dark. "You must have been having the bad place dream."

"No, Max, no." Krit shook his head and held out his shaky hand. "They are going to come for me soon."

"Who Krit, no one's going to take you anywhere." Max held Krit close. "The drugs worked less on Jondy, Rayne, Locke you and I. That's all."

At the sound of Locke's name Krit became frantic. "No one else was awake . . . I wasn't even awake really, I fell back asleep at first, Locke was tossing and turning."

"He was having a nightmare." Max nodded. "I woke up for a few seconds."

"Not a nightmare Max, it became a nightmare. . ." Krit shivered. "Jondy and Rayne went up to the high place. Locke had the shakes bad."

"Locke had a seizure?" Max asked and Krit simply nodded. 

"They took Jack. Now they took Locke. They're coming to take me soon, I know it." Krit held out his shaking hands and Max swatted them away.

"Who Krit tell me."

"Four of them all as dark as night and covered in black from head to toe. They banged open the barracks door and looked around making elementary hand signals .Then they went over to Locke's cot checking the barcodes on the footlockers as they went. I couldn't get out of bed! My eyes were open but my body didn't work. I tried. I really did. They saw Locke shaking and nodded to each other then made some more hand signals I didn't recognize and said some stuff I didn't understand. They sounded like they were speaking in code, then they picked him up. They carried him out the door, shut it and locked it behind them. They sealed in the dark and I tried but I couldn't do anything but fall back asleep." Krit was crying again. "Nomalies, Max, nomalies. All I could see was the whites of their eyes in the dark. They swarmed around him and they took him, gobbled him up. Locke's gone. I thought they got Rayne, Jondy and you too."

"Locke." Max said softly her voice cracking. "They . . . no they wouldn't. Not two so close." Max squared her shoulders. "I'm going to go up to the roof to see Jondy, Rayne and Locke."

"Don't leave me." Krit grabbed hold on to Max's hand tightly. "Don't leave me alone in the dark." 

Max sighed. Krit needed a mission to get his head back into the game. "Krit listen. I need you to stay here incase they come back. I need a look out. You can stand right by the window but don't take your eyes off of the door. It'll be better there." 

"Yes Ma'am." Krit pulled himself together putting on the fake mask of calm they were taught to always wear and stood up. 

"Krit don't." Max shook her head and squeezed his hand tight, "I'll be right back."

Max disappeared out of the window and climbed up the drain pipe to the barracks roof. For a moment she didn't see anyone and panicked fearing that Krit had been right. 

"Maxie." She heard her name being hissed and she spun around. 

Max turned and saw Jondy sitting Indian-style on the roof by the blue lady's alter. Rayne laid on her side curled up like a cat with her head in Jondy's lap. Jondy methodically stroked Rayne's hair and motioned for Max to join them. Max looked down at Rayne. Rayne's face was pale, her eyes red-rimmed, her cheeks tear stained and she was out cold. 

"Jondy?" Max's voice gave away her fear at the condition of her elder sister and Locke's absence. 

Jondy nodded. "I heard you talking and Krit's right about it all." Jondy's voice was hallow. "I saw it too, so did Rayne. Rayne thinks that Krit's nomalies are just guards, but I'm not so sure."

"What's wrong with Rayne?"

"She saw it too and you know that Locke is her favorite brother." Jondy said. "I took her up to the high place and the Blue Lady's alter to calm her down. The emotional strain got to her." Jondy hung her head. "I can't wake her."

"They drugged us." Max said bluntly. "You can't smell anything else in the barracks now. Krit pointed it out to me and I can't wake anyone else up either."

"Shark DNA." Jondy said softly. "Shock and fear for Rayne."

Max nodded. 

"Thought we were going to be stuck up here past morning inspection." Jondy looked grateful that Max was there.

Max moved back to the ledge above the drain pipe and window. "Psst, Krit."

Her little brothers frightened face leaned out of the window and gazed silently up at her waiting for an order. 

"We need you to help us get Rayne down from the roof, the drug finally got to her."

Krit nodded. "I'm ready."

Jondy and Max lowered Rayne down to Krit the same way that the others had gotten Max off of the roof the other day. Krit pulled Rayne through the window and waited until Jondy and Max returned to the barracks. Max and Jondy too the burden of Rayne from Krit and lightly deposited her on her own cot. Jondy tucked Rayne in. 

"Max." Krit was the only who consistently called her Max because he was younger then her.

Max turned her attention to Krit who was staring as Zack's cot. Zack lay in his cot, wide alert eyes following the trio's every movement, but because of the after effect of the drug he could not move or speak yet. There was a hint of panic behind Zack's sleep laden eyes. 

"Paralytics." Max answered the words finally popping into her mind and straight out of her mouth in order to explain the situation to her C.O. "Stay calm and breathe steady. It wears off pretty fast. They drugged us."

Seeing Zack awake Krit fled into his older brothers cot for safety. Jondy checked on Rayne and then she and Max moved over to Zack's cot as well.

"Don't fight it Zack." Max urged.

"What?" Zack managed to get out the one word. 

Krit started to cry again and Jondy and Max stared at each other.

"Well-," Jondy started. 

"See-," Max began. 

Both girls stopped. 

"They took Locke away." They said in sync. 

Zack's eyes flashed with anger and disbelief.

"Nomalies." The word fell from Krit's lips and hung ominously in the air. 

Zack pulled himself up into a sitting position propped up against the pillow but seconds later he was out cold. Max leaned over and snapped her fingers in Zack's face and there was no response from there C.O.

"Zack we need you right now." Jondy yelled and shook Zack while Max snapped her fingers in his face repeatedly.

Zack jerked alert a look of panic in his eyes. "What is it?"

"You fell asleep." Krit said softly.

Zack blinked hard, trying to get his bearings. "Locke?"

"They've never drugged us just to take someone away to the infirmary for testing." Jondy sounded skeptical. 

"It was the Nomalies." Krit said forcefully. "Black figures matching the dark." He shuddered. "All I could see were the whites of their eyes."

Jondy nodded. "Four of them. They came in while Locke was having a fit of the shakes. They took him away."

"I saw it but I couldn't move." Krit sounded apologetic.

"It's okay Krit." Zack was still he still didn't have any control over his motor skills. "They made it this way."

"But why?" Max asked. "What makes Locke different?"

"I don't know Maxie." Zack's voice was monotone and his tongue was still thick in his mouth. He swallowed hard. "They know we have the extraction exercise today."

"Why would they lower our moral further?" Jondy asked softly. 

"To test us. To push us farther and just because they can." Zack swallowed hard and chocked a bit. "All I can do is skip breakfast and try and get a word with Lydecker, but he won't tell me anything if he doesn't want to."

Max and Jondy nodded in sync.

"He must be able to tell you something." Krit was unwilling to accept his own failing.

"What do we tell the others?" Jondy asked wishing that either Ben or Tinga were awake. 

Zack said his words slow and low. "Does Rayne know?" Rayne and Locke were close and even Zack was aware of it. 

Jondy closed her eyes and nodded softly. "She saw part of it and became hysterical. I took her up to the high place to calm her down."

Zack nodded. "I'll take care of telling the rest before our breifing and after I speak to Lydecker. You three are at liberty to say only what you feel is necessary to keep everyone, especially Rayne, calm until I return with the Intel."

Three small shaved heads nodded their consent, curtly. 

Zack gazed to the barracks window where they usually got out to get up to the high place. 'It's near time for morning inspection. You should all return to your own cots."

Krit looked terrified and did a bad job of hiding it. After all he was only five years old , just like Max. 

"Krit?" Zack met his younger brothers eyes.

Krit stiffened. "Zack they're going to take me away too."

"Why do you keep saying that?" Jondy fired back at him.

Krit looked at Max who offered him a small smile and a re-assuring nod. Krit held his shaking hands out in front of Zack. 

"Nerves." Zack dismissed it. He didn't want to scare his little brother any further. "It's like Ben always says, the sun is chasing the darkness away now, and no one will be back in here until inspection. We've got a long day ahead of us. I order you all to get back to bed."

Max squeezed Krit's hand and gave him a quick hug then nodded to his cot in the far corner. Krit slumped a little, dejected, but trudged back to his own cot. Jondy and Max climbed into their neighboring cots. Zack was the only one who went back to sleep. Max rolled on to her left side, Jondy rolled to her right and the spent the time until morning inspection in constant eyes contact. They "spoke" using a blinking code that they had worked out over their sleepless nights. Krit spent the rest of the time staring at the spotted ceiling, counting the wholes in the tiles and flinching at every little sound. 


End file.
